25 February 2008

Jeter's Anticlimatic Response to My Profound Parenting Moment

I am one of those people that has a song going through my head 99.9% of the time and many times will sing out loud without realizing it.

This afternoon was no exception. We walked home from the bus stop and I was sorting through the mail while Jeter had his snack. I didn't even realize what I was singing until Jeter said "Mom a river isn't calm." For a split second I thought "Okay...why did you say that?" and then I realized what I was singing.


I got peace like a river

I got peace like a river

I got peace like a river in my soul



I was struck by the awesome life lesson that I could now pass onto my son and calmly began to converse with him:

Me: You're right. A river isn't always calm. There are places where it is rushing.

Jeter: Then how can it be peaceful?

Me: How is a river sometimes related to the things of God?

Jeter: Well...the river is like how we are carried by God through life. (simplistic but he gets the point)

Me: Sounds good. If we apply that to the lyrics of the song then we learn that our peace isn't actually regulated by how calm things are around us but rather by the fact that we are going through it with God. What do you think about that?

Jeter: Makes sense.

He then continued to snack on his grapes and then went to the fridge to see what else he wanted - a cheese stick and slice of Canadian bacon. Very anticlimatic compared to my inner excitement based on the fact that I seized this moment to speak some profound truth into my sons' life.

Maybe the key is the fact that Jeter doesn't see it as profound but rather that it just makes sense.

2 comments:

Melissa said...

That is so cool!

The best conversations I've had with my kids are usually spontaneous like this one, rather than the staged devotions I conduct when everyone is bored and distracted!

Livin' Life said...

Yes I too love those spontaneous moments. I also wanted to say I am praying for you guys.

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